Saturday, November 20, 2010

Wanna earn some good Karma points?

I’m a big believer in PAY IT FORWARD. I was extremely fortunate to have made it as a writer. And even more fortunate to have mentors who were the comedy writer’s equivalent of the Justice League of America – Larry Gelbart, Jim Brooks, Allan Burns, Gene Reynolds, the Charles Brothers. I don’t know how I got so lucky. In a past life I must’ve been Gandhi or the guy who invented asthma inhalers or something.

I feel strongly that I have a responsibility to help and encourage young writers the way others encouraged me. Okay, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but I’ll be honest, I don’t want to see crap when I sit down to watch television.

But it’s one of the reasons for this blog. In addition to providing me a forum for ranting and pissing off Woody Allen fans, I love that I can offer writing advice and maybe save you from making some of the same stupid rookie mistakes I made (and sometimes still make). And I happily offer it for free.

Well… almost free. (I bet you saw that coming.)

The Writers Guild Foundation is a marvelous organization, designed for the sole purpose of giving back. They encourage disadvantaged students to stay in school, promote the work of writers in the community, maintain an extraordinary library that preserves the heritage of writers (hey, they even have a few of our scripts in there), work with returning military veterans, and stage classes and lectures featuring A-list screenwriters and showrunners.

I invite you all to join me in supporting the Writers Guild Foundation. You can learn more about it here. Sometimes writers need more than words.

Thank you.
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4 comments :

  1. toetag11/20/2010 7:58 AM

    Thanks Ken.

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  2. Matt11/20/2010 8:17 AM

    This is one of my destinations for when I vacation in LA next year.

    As an aside, a few years ago a several of Billy Wilder's screenplays were published in facsimile paperback by the University of California Press: Stalag 17, Sunset Boulevard, Double Indemnity, Lost Weekend (all of which are still available on Amazon.com). I have them in my collection and, just like in the photograph used in this post, I store the DVDs on the shelf right next to the appropriate script.

    ReplyDelete
  3. lucifervandross11/20/2010 8:30 PM

    I have huge plans to give back once I make it. I just need to make it first.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nordy11/20/2010 11:59 PM

    If only the rest of the industy sent the elevator back down. Thank you for understanding the opportunity you have to help others, Mr. Levine.

    ReplyDelete

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